The present invention relates to a system for the application and removal of a contact clip to a rail, in particular to a railway rail.
To ensure the continuity of traction voltage and the transmission of signals along railway lines during maintenance or repair operations to specific sections of rail, it is often necessary to short circuit two adjacent sections of rail, that is to say, electrically connect the sections of rail upline and downline of the repair site so as to bypass it.
Such electrical connection is made by means of an electric cable the ends of which are connected to the foot of the rail, for example by means of a contact clip in steel which forms a first hook-shaped end suitable for being forced onto a free rim of the foot of the rail, and a second end with an abutment surface facing towards the first end and suitable for abutting against a free rim of the foot of the rail on the side opposite that engaged by the first end, to block the clip in an engaged position with the rail. In such position of engagement the first hook-shaped end is pushed onto the foot of the rail, scratching the surface thereof and thus making an excellent electrical contact. Given that the thickness of the foot of the rail increases from its free rim towards the core of the rail and given the shape of the contact clip, during the application of the contact clip to the foot of the rail, the hook shaped end is elastically widened generating a force of reaction which clamps the clip elastically against the foot of the rail and ensures an elastically spring-loaded contact.
Despite the reliability of the electrical connections obtained, the application of the contact clip to the foot of the rail requires considerable force and is therefore carried out with the help of violent blows of the hammer to the contact clip. Similarly, the removal of the contact clip from the rail is performed by blows of the hammer to the end of the clip opposite the hook and, given the elastic spring-loading, violent and uncontrollable jerks of the contact clip may ensue. Both the blows of the hammer and the elastic jerks of the contact clip may entail a high risk of injury and fatigue to the fitter and prejudice the precise, controlled attachment of the contact clip to the rail.
The purpose of the present invention is therefore that of providing a system, for the application of a contact clip to a railway rail, having characteristics such as to obviate the drawbacks mentioned in relation to the prior art.